Looking for anyone who is familiar with this problem. If we turn off the power to our machine, it will not re cock when you turn ot back on. Sometimes it will but often we have to turn off the switch and back on again several times to get it to cock. The last time used it, when we turned it off, it did not uncock and it is supposed to

The fact that it does NOT release when turned off is very odd. The arm is held in place by an electromagnet and with no power it should release automatically. I would check and clean both the magnet and the arm it holds in place - this can be done with WD-40 and a cloth.

Further here, when was the last time the machine was greased/cleaned??

When turning the machine on does it do NOTHING, or does the arm swing through a cycle and not 'catch?'

If the later, the above fix should help, if there is no action at all then it might be a control box issue (fancy electrical relays) - these are pretty tough, but they are moisture sensitive. A good spray with a water displacing spray or electromotive cleaner might help. A visit with a hair dryer might help too.

Normally, when we turn our machines off, we power the machine down, remove the target, then release the arm by hand. If the motor hums but the arm does not come around when you first start up the machine, you must reach up under the platen where the target drops and engage the microswitch. This will then engage the motor and arm. Under no circumstances should you let the motor run while the machine is trying to engage the arm for a long period of time. You can easily burn out the motor. Usually just a slight adjustment to the microswitch is all it takes. If this does not work, you might need a need circuit board. You can try this link as a start:

Your description of the problem sounds suspiciously like one my club has periodically with our GMV.

The switch for some GMV's is in a metal box on the end of a heavy 'power' cord. The design allows the switch to be operated from inside or outside of the trap house.

I suspect the problem is with the switch itself. I'm not sure how to describe this clearly but the contacts inside the switch box are part of plastic structures which snap into place. It isn't uncommon for the plastic contact structures to get jarred loose. When they do, the trap acts exactly as you have described.

The fix is simple. Turn off all power. Remove the cover plate of the switch box (four screws). If one or more of the contacts isn't secured, snap it or them back into place. The process takes me about five minutes.

In our case the problem is caused by the cord/switch getting inadvertentaly dropped on the ground or the concrete floor of the trap house. Nothing is broke but the contacts get knocked out of position.

The machine is powered by 110 V AC, but also steps it down to 24 V DC, the power switch controls both of these supplies (separate wires run to the switch for both currents). If the switch is stuck between ON and OFF - or some form of this, then one may stay powered despite the switch being turned.

What happens when you UNPLUG the machine?? - especially to that target that does not release.

UPDATE: Went to the club today, turned it on and it did nothing. I shut the power off and turned it back on and the third time it fired up, waited and cocked. Threw several birds and then it stuck again. We took off the cover to the small elect box at the right front just under the cnmtrol switches and a post with three ground wires was very loose. Next I decided to check the terminals for more loose wires inside the circuit board box. When I took the cover off it had 1/2 inch of water in it. Got a heat lamp, dried it all out and bingo. It is working and I tried it over and over. I hope we found the issue. Thx to all who offered help

Lljutic111 =the answer to that is simple. We bought this superstar model 296 wobble used from a sporting clays course. It set outside and was open to the elements when the wind blew. It only had 200,000 targets on the counter and looked like new. We gave $3000 for it thinking we could afford to spend a little. It has very little usage and should serve us well.

A spare parts kit can be had for about $150 ~ $200 (spare arm, spare O-rings, etc.). Really worth the bucks in that you can fix most problems fairly quickly.

My club keeps spares for each machine (we have three) - each year with scheduled maintenance they use the O-rings that were in the spares kit and add the 'new' ones to the kit (stock rotation).

Keep the machine clean - use a vacuum not compressed air - the air tends to blow stuff right where you DON'T want it to go. Lots of grease zerks (worth calling your service company and finding the EXACT number on your machine).

Keep an eye on the elevator - it is covered with a rubber like material that will degrade with use - you'll end up with broken birds and not understand why. Your service company should have 're-built' ones - you just change them out - and give them the old one to recover for someone else.

Also keep an eye on the brushes that provide the down pressure on the birds - 'old' style ones wear fairly quickly, but there are 'new' ones (aftermarket??) that hold up really well. Problems here will also give broken birds, or birds that fly differently when going to the left, straight, or to the right.

On a doubles/singles machine (I believe yours is singles only) there is a little arm that rises and falls to convert between the two - when behind the machine it is located on the left corner closest to you, under the table. It controls an arm that rises through the table to position single and double targets. If this gets out of adjustment (it does this REALLY easily) targets will break...

We bought patio table covers for about $20 at Lowes and they make perfect covers for the machines - something to consider if the machine is not used that often - helps keep moisture off of them in the pits.

We purchased extra brushes, micro switch, O rings and took the machine to our member mechanic who gresed everything before we put it in. We now have a heat lamp in the pit to keep it dry. I appreciate the advice Thx again to all

I assume you know the lever (little black knob on the end) that needs to be moved when switching from singles to doubles or back.

It controls an arm that rises through the floor of the target table.

This arm (looks like 1/4" round bar stock) is on the end of a rather flimsy shaft and is held in adjustment by a single nut/bolt. The arm that rises through the table can easily start to drift downwards as adjustment is lost.

It should be UP for singles and DOWN for doubles. It is the UP position (singles) that can cause problems. The arm can drift downward - if it gets too low the targets start to slip over it and will break as brush pressure is applied, or as the throwing arm drives the bird under the brush and off of the arm.

Adjustment is kind of hit and miss, but I have found that if you get the small arm parallel to the table you are at a good starting point. Snug the nut/bolt up once you are satisfied.

As preventative maintenance regularly check the nut for proper tightness.

The symptoms will be that as it starts to go out of adjustment targets will break every so often. As it worsens every target will break when all else looks fine with the machine. I find this to be the most common cause of broken targets with our doubles machine.

We have both GMV`s and we love the Wobble. They throw perfect targets. You got a great price on the used one but our club wanted new. Only electrical problem we had was in the control box and a wire burned at a connection, also needed a longer brush on the new machine to hold the targets firmer. Steve from Shyda services was there the next day to repair it. Great Service from them. Only problem we have now is the new machine that we waited for close to a year for has a motor that is humming so loud you can hear it from the 16 yd line and I have told Rod a few times and he said it may be just a loud motor but what I`m worrying about it it may let go when the warranty runs out ??

Bob's problem related more to doubles breaking rather than singles - here is my response to him...

1) To answer your question it MAY be the same issue - just that the arm is adjusted so far up that it does not drop fully out of the way when throwing doubles (I've done this when adjusting the arm, so I know it can happen).

2) Another possibility is the brush height/tension. The brush for singles may be adjusted correctly, while the one for doubles may have too much pressure (could also be a wear factor here). Do you know if they have ever been replaced??

The original brushes were kind of 'lame' - there is an after-market set that is 'one and done' set - they last a really long time. I'll try to find the link to the company that sells them. I think new GMV machines ship with better brushes.

3) The throwing arm may be worn or bent in one area and not so in the other (singles -vs- doubles). Check it for uniform height and inspect the rubber for cuts/wear.

4) The O-rings may be worn. Do you know when they were replaced last?? If they get cuts/nicks in the surfaces targets can break when the are dropped onto the elevator. Because the big nylon rings that they ride on rotate with each target thrown the nicks/cuts will only occasionally be in contact with the target (this will break the target as it drops - before the throwing arm is released).

Your first task is to determine if the target breaks as it is dropped and set, or if it breaks when thrown...

The GMV web site give OK directions on how to adjust and check a lot of these issues...
http://www.gmvsuperstar.com/pdf/GMV_Manual%28singel%29.pdf

Hope this helps,

David Delacato

MOTORS

There are three motors on these machines - 1200 RPM (1100 RPM sometimes), 1800 RPM, 3600 RPM. The low speed one is the one that fails most often (it is the lowest and tends to get the most junk and water on it).

The motor alone is about $300, but there is a clutch on it that costs another $200. The clutch is a very small version of the type you find on an automotive AC unit. They are a pain to remove.

I built a tool for this and gave it to Shyda's after I had done the two motors I had replaced (don't ask - one of our pits floods way too often).

If you ever replace one I suggest having it re-built and keeping it as a spare.

Tension springs on the big rollers become weak and multi broken targets result. Would be OK with carousel half full but a disaster when full. Found replacements at local farm store (Theisen's). Screeching motor bearings rebuilt locally. D Winter

All the electrical issues appear to be fixed now. One last thing is the arm does not cock all the way every time. Most of the time it does but once in a while the arm will move half way and quit. If you jiggle it it sets to full cock. Any ideas on that one??